Rev Richard Coles joins Strictly

Iain Lynn

Communards star, turned vicar, the Rev Richard Coles has signed up for Strictly Come Dancing and admitted of his cha, cha, cha: "God does not always endow us with gifts equally".

The 55-year-old said he had been "waiting by the phone for 11 years" to be invited on to the BBC1 show, and that he was "totally serious" about competing.

"It was an easy decision to make," he told the Chris Evans Breakfast Show.

"It's obvious to anyone who knows me that a major dance talent was waiting to be discovered and the opportunity came along. I'm just wondering why they took so long frankly!" he joked.

"I've been waiting by the phone for 11 years. One day it rang. It was a nice lady. She said 'do you want to have a top secret meeting? Wear a disguise'.

"I cunningly disguised myself as a cardinal. We met in a bar and we had the discussion. They looked me up and down a bit and said, 'Do you fancy it?'. I said, 'Not half!'.

"I'm totally serious about it."

Rev Coles, who had a big hit with Don't Leave Me This Way in the 1980s, said: "There's more bling in my vestry than in my dressing room."

The broadcaster, who co-hosts BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live, said despite being asked to keep his signing a secret, he had undertaken an "off-the-record briefing" with former Strictly competitor Ed Balls who "gave me a very comprehensive briefing about it".

"I may have just let something slip to Judge Rinder too."

The Church of England priest said his medical for the programme "was basically a catastrophe".

"I have cut down on pork pies. My partner David had practically put a padlock on the fridge. It's salad, salad, salad. I seem to have put on some weight," he said.

He may not be able to embark on the Strictly tour, following the show, as it "does rather clash with epiphany so I have to work that out with my church".